How to Perform the Thumb Flip Poker Chip Trick

The thumb flip is a relatively easy poker chip trick to master. Also referred to as the front-to-back trick, the thumb chip flip is the perfect trick for anyone who wants to progress past your standard chip shuffling. It is commonly seen performed by professional poker players around the world, and with a small amount of practice, you could be doing this trick too. Here’s how to perform the thumb flip poker chip trick.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Poker chips (4 to 5 chips)

1. Line up 4 to 5 casino chips in a row. Line them up in your hand so that you are gripping the chips with your index finger and ring finger. The middle finger serves as a sort of a back-stop, preventing the chips from falling out of your hand. This arrangement holds the chips firmly in position, while allowing the thumb to move freely on the other side of the stack of poker chips. Note that you are actually gripping the chips with the inside edge of your fingers, almost as if they are laying in your hand.

2. Move your thumb into position near the bottom of the chip that is closest to the tips of your fingers. Think of this as being the front of the stack of chips. You can free the chip from the grip of your fingers by rolling it up towards your body and away from the ring finger. Take care to keep your grip on the remaining chips so that they do not fall out of position.

3. Keep rolling the chip up until your thumb is on the tip of the chip’s rim. At this point, the chip probably will have rolled up high enough to be at least halfway above the other chips in the roll, and is probably resting between the thumb and index finger. Once you get the chip in this position, begin to move your thumb towards the back of the roll of chips, and the poker chip you rolled out of the front should follow.

4. As you move your thumb towards the back of the roll of chips, also move it down towards your palm. This will cause the chip to fall over when it is above the roll, helping it to slide into position at the back of the roll of chips. It may take a little practice, but if you stick with it, this step will look very fluid and natural.

Tips & Warnings

• Some people like to forego this style of holding the chips and opt to hold the chips with the middle finger and pinkie, leaving the ring finger as a back-stop. Try both styles of holding the chips to see which feels more comfortable to you.

Resources

• Thumb Flip Trick Video